darling heart, i loved you from the start
by OneshotPrincess
Summary: Ryuji's phone call to Akira on the night they first discover Shido's palace takes a different turn.


"Hey Akira, once we change Shido's heart..."

There's a pause on the other end of the line, one so long that Akira has to check that Ryuji's still there. "...Ryuji?"

"No, never mind," comes the reply at last and Akira can hear _something_ in Ryuji's voice, something he can't quite place. He has a feeling though, that Ryuji's hiding something important. "Forget it. Let's do it. Let's steal that bastard Shido's heart! I'll do everythin' I can to make it happen."

"I know you will," Akira agrees easily because he knows it's true. When has Ryuji ever done anything less? Ryuji's the one, he thinks, who's been the fighting the longest and hardest against everything the world's thrown at him since the very beginning- even when it caused him nothing but pain. Akira has a feeling, that if he hadn't met Ryuji that day in the rain he would have ended up...different. Not just because of the Metaverse, but because he'd been well on his way to becoming exactly the kind of person who would look away from injustice. What had caring ever gotten him anyway, he remembers thinking once.

Well. In this world, it's gotten him Ryuji.

"Look," Akira hesitates. "You know you can tell me anything right? Whatever's bothering you…"

"Hey man, I know!" Ryuji laughs, an awkward chuckle that Akira doesn't buy for one second. "It's just, stressin' out about this I guess. Don' worry about it man, you've got enough on your plate."

"Okay…" He agrees reluctantly. He doesn't want to let it go but...he's aching all over. He needs to take Tae's pain meds before bed to make sure he's good to go for tomorrow. No matter what, Shido's palace _has_ to take first priority. "If you're sure."

He hangs up to start getting ready for bed -Morgana's already made himself comfortable on one of his pillows- when his phone starts ringing again. Akira hastily drops his coat to see Ryuji's name flashing across the display. When he picks up, Ryuji barely gives him time to say 'Hello' before-

"You know what? Fuck it." His voice sounds breathy on the other, like he's been panting. "I ain't being a coward about this anymore."

"Ryuji? What are you talking-"

"Like, eff man. You could have _died._ I mean, I know there are plenty of times all of us could'a died in the Metaverse. But this was, I dunno, _different_. Not knowin' where you were while you were in custody...that shit felt _awful_ , man."

Akira's throat feels completely dry all of a sudden. There's an anticipatory feeling building in his gut, the feeling he gets before he takes a leap. How long has Ryuji been holding his worry in? A part of him wants to reassure him but...he also doesn't want to have to think about that interrogation room any more than he has to. "I know," he replies quietly. "I know it was hard but I made it out. We all-"

"No, that's not what I-" Ryuji makes a frustrated noise. "I'm messing this up. That ain't what I was tryin' to say at all."

"What _are_ you trying to say?"

"...I'm trying to say...I like you. I really do."

...What? Akira's legs feel weak all of a sudden. He stumbles and catches himself on the edge of the bed before sinking down. His head feels like it's spinning but Ryuji's still talking on the other end so- focus. He has to _focus_.

"This is prolly the worst way to confess, I know. But I hung up and I thought- If I say I'll do it tomorrow or after we deal with Shido, I'm just gonna chicken out again. An' I couldn't let that happen. I don' wanna go forward without you knowing anymore. Not when we don' know what the future's got in store for us."

Akira presses a hand to his mouth and tries to breathe. He should say something, he _needs_ to say something. But he just, he can't believe-

"...Akira? Dude, don't leave me hangin' like this. _Please_."

"I love you," Akira blurts out. It's the first thing on his mind. It's been on his mind since _forever_. And now- and now it's all just _too much_. But at least the words are out now. "So much. For so long, Ryuji. I didn't think, I never thought-"

Ryuji laughs, a high, shaky sound. "What, you thought I wouldn't say it back?"

"Yes," Akira admits, shattered open. A single phone call and it's like he's let himself be cut open, everything that was inside offered up for Ryuji to take. But he doesn't mind. He doesn't mind at all. He feels absolutely _ecstatic_. His world had irrevocably shifted all through November but it finally feels like it's aligning itself back again.

"...Shit man, I should be the one sayin' that. I never thought you'd say that to me either," Ryuji replies. There's a pause before he continues. "Akira. I love you too," and this time, Akira can hear it in his voice, he knows that Ryuji is wearing that shit-eating grin Akira loves so much even if he can't see it. "And after we're done kickin' Shido's ass...let's go out sometime, alright?"

"Yes," he breathes out. "Yes, absolutely. Anywhere you want."


End file.
